Research Article s Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000422 J Environ Anal Toxicol, an open access journal ISSN: 2161-0525 Open Access Research Article Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology J o u r n a l o f E n v i r o n m e n t a l & A n a l y t i c a l T o x i c o l o g y ISSN: 2161-0525 Ubuoh et al., J Environ Anal Toxicol 2017, 7:1 DOI: 10.4172/2161-0525.1000422 Keywords: Atmospheric corrosion; Corrugated iron; Gas faring; Oil production Introduction Corrosion is a natural process as nature attempts to return metals to their original, stable, oxidized state. Te degree and severity of corrosion is a function of both the material and its operating environment [1]. Atmospheric corrosion refers to the corrosive action that occurs on the surface of a metal in an atmospheric environment. It occurs when the surface is wet by moisture formed due to rain, fog and condensation and it is defned to include corrosion by air at the temperatures between -18 to 70°C [2]. Te corrosion process forms part of natural cycle in which the metal is striving through spontaneous chemical and electro- chemical processes to reach back to its most stable condition, i.e., as a mineral from which it was refned. Several investigations have studied the development and propagation of corrosion products on zinc at atmospheric conditions [3,4]. As roofng material undergoes processes of atmospheric corrosion during which wet and dry deposition occurs, a gradual degradation of the metal also occurs [5]. Corrosion have been extensively determined in diferent environments in varying conditions in Sweden [2], and have been determined on a short time scaling including days, weeks, and months [6]. Te corrosion rate is generally high during the frst year of exposure afer which it decreases with prolonged exposure period. On a time scale it usually reaches and almost constant level [7]. High corrosion rates can be included by high concentrations of air pollutants such as SO 2 , NO 2 , and O 2 [8-10], low rain pH [11], low degrees of surface inclinations in the prevailing wind direction [12], and corrosion rate is always lower in rural areas than in urban and marine environment [6]. In oil-producing areas, gas faring has led increased levels of such acid gases as SO 2 and NOx occasioning acidic atmospheric moisture and corrosion of roofs in the vicinities [13]. In Akwa Ibom state, Mobil Producing Unlimited fares an averages an average of 42.8MSCF of natural gas per day at Qua Iboe Terminal and several nearby onshore and ofshore oil felds [14]. Te state is also the operating base of such other oil exploration giants as shell and Total (ELF). Te probability of roof failure can be determined by assessing metal’s corrosion resistance; and exposure to acid rain, pollutants, particulate, and chlorides (coastal and deicing) and/or pollution. Inland sites that are exposed to deicing products and/or industrial pollution can be just as corrosive as coastal sites. Tere is a growing trend in sustainable architecture toward capturing and using roof runof water for human consumption and other non-potable purposes and the Leadership in Environmental and Engineering Design (LEED) system now ofers additional points for this. While a number of metals are important trace nutrients for organisms, including humans, some can also cross the threshold of toxicity at relatively low levels. In this context, roof runof rates and the bioavailability of the metal are important. Concentrations as low as 0.002 mg/ of copper/1 or 0.004-0.007 mg zinc/1 are hazardous for algae. As concentration increase, both metals become hazardous for crustaceans and fsh. For crustaceans, only 0.005 mg of copper/1 or about 0.05 mg of zinc/1 is hazardous. Te paper focuses on the impact of some atmospheric pollutants on corrugated iron roofng sheets in part Akwa Ibom State as infuenced by gas faring in oil exploration. Material and Methods Study area Akwa Ibom State lies between Longitude 4°30’N and 5°30’N and between Latitude 7°30’E and 8°15’E. It has three major ethnic groups, Ibibio, Anang, and Oron with a total population of 2,395,756 (87.89% rural and urban 12.11%), spread across landmass of 8,412 km 2 . Te Atmospheric Corrosion of Corrugated Iron Roofing Sheet in Oil Producing Locations in Southeastern Nigeria Ubuoh EA 1 *, Nwakanma C 1 and Ogbuji S 2 1 Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology (EMT), College of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (CNREM), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, Nigeria 2 Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Imo State University (IMSU), Nigeria Abstract The study evaluated the atmospheric corrosion of corrugated iron roofng sheets in rural, urban, and marine environments using rain water harvested from roofs of various ages. Corrosion study was based on the weathering processes leading to high levels of sulphate, chloride and nitrate in rainwater in the three areas. Results showed that roofs below one year and 2 years in age were more susceptible to rusting than roofs above 15 years. The mean corrosion rates were higher in marine (Ibeno) ranging between 0.16 × 10 3 µm/yr and 2.94 × 10 3 µm/yr followed by rural (Okobo) 0.08 × 10 3 - 1.88 × 10 3 µm/yr, and the least was urban (Uyo) 0.031 × 10 3 µm/yr - 0.79 × 10 3 µm/yr. Sulphates, nitrates and chlorides were high in the marine environment, which also coincided with the area of gas fare by Mobil Oil exploration activities. Increase in temperature and acid rain formations in this area led to increased acid rainstorm. This could manifest in the erosion of beach and wetland, inundates low-lying areas (Ibeno, Ibaka (James town), Oron, Utan brama, Utan-Effong and Mbe-Ndoro) fooding and loss of coastal land and mangrove forests. Above all, gas faring affects atmospheric water quality in which soil, crops, fruits, streams, and rivers are affected. *Corresponding author: Ubuoh EA, Department of Environmental Management and Toxicology (EMT), College of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (CNREM), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, Nigeria, Tel: +2348037639777; E-mail: attahubuoh@gmail.com Received November 24, 2016; Accepted December 13, 2016; Published January 03, 2017 Citation: Ubuoh EA, Nwakanma C, Ogbuji S (2017) Atmospheric Corrosion of Corrugated Iron Roofng Sheet in Oil Producing Locations in Southeastern Nigeria. J Environ Anal Toxicol 7: 422. doi: 10.4172/2161-0525.1000422 Copyright: © 2017 Ubuoh EA, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.